Gamble House Journey Brings Her the World

By Mary Quinn-Lumsden, Gamble House History Committee

A seasoned docent with a decade of experience at the Getty Villa, Elizabeth Samson was in search of a change. After looking into a museum or two in the L.A. area, she came upon an open house at The Gamble House. Lo and behold, she was quickly enticed by fabulous mentors including then-Director Randell Makinson and Nancy Ullrich—and the spirit of the Gamble House family. A world traveler, Elizabeth liked the scheduling flexibility the House offered as well as the opportunity to tour architectural landmarks far and wide with fellow Docents. The rest is history. Elizabeth, a lovely, articulate, and poised woman, is a trained musician and devotee of many musical organizations. Our conversation took place in the living room of what was originally her parents’ home, just west of the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena, where a piano and organ evidence her passion. When she made the switch to The Gamble House, Class of 1991, the extensive preparation led her on a journey of discovery inside the House’s doors. “I wouldn’t have changed a thing about the training,” she said, which made her a confident and knowledgeable Docent in no time. The skills Elizabeth honed in her professional life as a health-care contract administrator and teacher prepared her well for being a woman in charge, and she soon moved into the Coordinator role.

ON DUTY IN MR. GAMBLE’S DEN

Being the touch point for tours did have its challenges. She recalled that one day they were absolutely swamped when a man came up to her and asked, “Can’t I get on this tour?” They were sold out and Elizabeth, as graciously as she could, replied, “Sorry, no you can’t.” Describing him as “hard-charging,” she said “he got so mad because I wouldn’t let him on the tour and he went off in a huff after asking again to break the rules.” Little did she know he was an actor of some repute. “He wasn’t a big actor like Tom Cruise” but she reported it in case he went up to the top echelon to complain. On another occasion, she observed a young boy running and screaming across the front lawn. When his mother approached, Elizabeth asked politely, “Are you taking your boy on the tour?” The answer came, “Yes, no problem.” To Elizabeth’s surprise, the child was the best-behaved youngster she had ever seen. That lesson is priceless yet today: Don’t judge a tour-goer too quickly. “She was smart to let him get his energy out on the lawn first.” Elizabeth extended her hospitality to House guests as well. She remembered one who came from England to lecture and stayed overnight in the House. “I loaned him my French press [coffeemaker]. He left it on the stove and the whole thing ‘melted’ ” into a uselessness heap. It was a small price to pay for all that the House has brought her way. Elizabeth has served in many positions in addition to Docent and Coordinator. She conducted special tours, sold tickets in the Bookstore, worked on the Speakers Bureau and, under President Violet Kendall, was a liaison with other Docent-staffed museums. This required finding out what was going on with their volunteer programs. A key finding: “We were the only museum that did not have a yearly evaluation of docents.”